Results with shakeology

Results with shakeology
Hey there!!  I just was spending some time sitting down and blogging past challengers of mine that have had amazing results with shakeology over the past two years of coaching and wanted to share with you.  My sister was one of the first few challengers that went on to have an amazing transformation and yes you can see the physical but often times shakeology goes beyond just how you look on the outside.

"In September 2013, I began a journey of clean eating, daily 30 minute workouts and also began incorporating Shakeology as my breakfast each morning.  We are now more than 18 months later and I am still going strong!  After a lifelong struggle to lose weight, what has been different with this approach?  Why am I convinced that I would never go back to the way things used to be?  That is the topic of today's blog entry!
I recently heard a description of the "Diet Cycle" and it really resonated with the way that I used to do things!  The Recommended Daily Allowance of Calories for many of us is somewhere around 2,000.  So if we want to lose weight, we are going to have to create some sort of calorie deficit by eating less and also burning off x amount of calories through exercise.  We have ALL had those Mondays where THIS IS THE DAY that we are going to "do better".  It is a novel pursuit.  We begin to eat less and try to make more healthy choices.  We become more active.  After 5-7 days we can see some progress and we are really excited!  By 10-14 days it all begins to catch up with us.  We are just plain TIRED.  We are asking our bodies to do more with less.  We have hit a nutrient deficit and this comes across as cravings.  We may become irritable and grouchy.  The cravings escalate and as we give in to a few of them, we may go overboard and then wind up feeling guilty.

Through our best intentions and quite a bit of solid effort, we are sabotaging ourselves by pushing ourselves into a state of being nutrient deficient.  Signs of this are cravings, mental fog, irritability and feeling sluggish.  Can anyone relate??

Even when eating whole foods and making balanced nutrition choices, the JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association estimates that an individual would have to eat an average of 27,575 calories per day (NOT a typo!) in order to become 100% sufficient in all 27 essential micronutrients based on recommended daily intake guidelines.  According to the study, when we are deficient in these areas, we find an 80.8% increase in the likelihood of becoming overweight or obese and is scientifically linked to a higher risk of other dangerous and debilitating diseases, including resistance to infection, birth defects, cancer, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis.

Forget the 27,000+ calories!  What about when we truly do need to lose weight and so we are cutting our usual calorie intake while doing more?  How do we keep our overall health on track while also not falling into the cravings, mental fog, irritability and sluggishness of being nutrient deficient?  When I first began my own journey of life change towards better health, I was constantly BLOWN AWAY by how it really was not as hard as I had expected.  It was much easier AND incredibly more effective than anything that I had ever tried before in my life!  WHY!!?!?!?!?!  Shakeology.  Really and truly.  This meal replacement is so easy.  It is a whole food and you can think of it as "dry juicing".  I get all of my vitamins and it is the equivalent of 5 plates of a very healthy salad.  But all for just 160 calories!   Shakeology meets my basic nutrition needs for that meal while also SUPER-CHARGING my body.  Shakeology is not like a triple espresso where you feel an instant zing.  It works at the cellular level and takes 4-5 days of being in our system to really prime our digestion.  Then suddenly we have this shift where things just come together.  I found that I could feel better, my energy went way up, my cravings nearly disappeared and my body repaired more quickly from my workouts. 

Weight loss is not the end goal itself.  Weight loss is a by-product of proper nutrition.  Shakeology is NOT a protein shake.  It is NOT a weight loss shake.  We are nutrient deficient much of the time, even when eating whole foods.  Shakeology is a nutrient dense meal replacement that is seriously a game-changer.  I found that I was naturally eating less, I felt significantly better, my energy went way up and I began to shed the weight.  My migraines and for the first time in my life my menstrual cycle quickly became regular and has stayed that way!  

When looking at meal replacement shakes, you want to make sure that you are avoiding soy.  Soy is a cheap filler.  It interrupts digestion and lowers our immune system.  Avoid artificial sweeteners.  There are so many studies which show that they actually stimulate our appetite and increase insulin production in our body.  You also want to steer clear of artificial flavors.  After some time of eating clean, our taste-buds will be retrained to where we are truly able to appreciate natural flavors like never before!  

Shakeology is full of super-foods!  In short, super-foods strengthen our immune system.  They repair our GI system so that digestion improves and we are able to absorb nutrients.  This also promotes regularity in that department!  Super-foods reduce chronic inflammation and that is crazy-important!  Inflammation destroys cells and leaves us at risk for all sorts of disease.  I know of so many people who used to deal with painful inflammation-related conditions and they are significantly reduced and sometimes even wiped out through the use of Shakeology!  Many chronic diseases are preventable or at least slowed with better food choices and exercise.  Would we rather be on the back end of disease while medicating ourselves to manage our symptoms or would we like to be on the front end of wellness, feeling our best??  Easy choice, right?

A conclusion of the study referenced/linked above - "It is the conclusion of this researcher that an individual following a popular diet plan using food alone, has a high likelihood of becoming micronutrient deficient, a condition shown to be scientifically linked to a higher risk of dangerous and debilitating diseases including cancer, osteoporosis, heart disease, birth defects and overweight/obesity. Based on this study's findings, the belief that a healthy, balanced diet can consistently deliver, to a typical dieter, all of the essential vitamins and minerals they need, through whole food alone, is in dire need of revision. It would appear that supplementation should be considered as a viable, low cost method to achieve micronutrient sufficiency and reduce the risk for some of today's most prevalent and devastating health conditions and diseases."

I hope sharing this with you will help you to see the value in shakeology and why it is KEY part of success in getting started in your healthier lifestyle.  Something that has always stuck out with me is the thought that you can't have a "wrong workout"  exercise is exercise for my redneck friends that could mean taking a walk in the woods hunting for the day!!  It still counts!!  But nutrition....We can get a bit off track you can be 120 lbs and be tired, lack energy, headaches everyday, and feel ready to make changes. 

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Almond Joy Shakeology

Almond Joy Shakeology

Hey there!!  I'm excited to share with you my new favorite shakeology recipe!!  But first I could not help but share a few details on shakeology to help others see the full value in the meal replacement.  This past weekend I was outside our newly purchased farm and two older men pulled up and knew the original owners of the place.  We went on to talk and they asked "If my dad was around" ummm nope I'm the owner.  It kind of made me giggle but coming from a mom of three little one's that hasn't slept in 4 years, never wears make, but some how finds the time to workout and eat clean 80% of the time--Cool!!

So prior to budgeting in $3.33 a day for my shakeology I was tired, my skin DID NOT look like this, my hands hurt all the time, and a headache almost every day.  I truly believe in living life to its fullest and I CLEARY could not do so two years ago.  I was afraid of shakeology like for real, what if I'm hungry?  I breastfeed what is in shakeology is it safe? 

We all know and fall into the "Diet Cycle" and it really makes sense with the way that I used to do things!  The Recommended Daily Allowance of Calories for many of us is somewhere around 2,000.  So if we want to lose weight, we are going to have to create some sort of calorie deficit by eating less and also burning off x amount of calories through exercise.  We have ALL had those Mondays where THIS IS THE DAY that we are going to "do better". Crap by Tuesday at 2:00 pm I'm hungry and want to eat everything in site.  We begin to eat less and try to make more healthy choices.  We become more active.  After 5-7 days we can see some progress and we are really excited!  By 10-14 days it all begins to catch up with us.  We are just plain TIRED.  We are asking our bodies to do more with less.  We have hit a nutrient deficit and this comes across as cravings.  We may become irritable and grouchy.  The cravings escalate and as we give in to a few of them, we may go overboard and then wind up feeling guilty.

So how can shakeology become a game changer for your health?  When looking at meal replacement shakes, you want to make sure that you are avoiding soy.  Soy is a cheap filler.  It interrupts digestion and lowers our immune system.  Avoid artificial sweeteners.  There are so many studies which show that they actually stimulate our appetite and increase insulin production in our body.  You also want to steer clear of artificial flavors.  After some time of eating clean, our taste-buds will be retrained to where we are truly able to appreciate natural flavors like never before!  

Shakeology is like 6 trips to the salad bar with good nutrition but for around 150 calories. 

Shakeology is full of super-foods!  In short, super-foods strengthen our immune system.  They repair our GI system so that digestion improves and we are able to absorb nutrients.  This also promotes regularity in that department!  Super-foods reduce chronic inflammation and that is crazy-important!  Inflammation destroys cells and leaves us at risk for all sorts of disease.  I know of so many people who used to deal with painful inflammation-related conditions (myself being one of them) and they are significantly reduced  through the use of Shakeology!  Many chronic diseases are preventable or at least slowed with better food choices and exercise.  Taking shakeology and giving it a 30 day trial to see what the superfoods will help with is worth trying, how will you know unless you give something a whirl!!

Here is the almond joy recipe

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Can Stress cause weight gain or slow progress?

Can stress cause weight gain or slow progress?

This is a topic that came up in the past week within a challenge group and I really wanted to sit down and write more about this subject in hopes of helping each of you if you feel stuck.  Losing weight in general is not typically something you wake up thrilled to do, it takes talking yourself into not hitting the snooze, staying consistent, saying no thanks while others around you indulge.  When stress is added in it's an entirely different leave of challenge involved especially if you’re in the beginning phases of creating a lifestyle change.  

Let's face it we live in a day and time it's easy to let circumstances around us cause unwanted stress, death in the family, job changes, moving, family members health, your children and dealing with issues of them maturing, unexpected bills, things breaking at the house and need repaired.  Somewhere along the line even as level headed as most would like to remain life throws stress.

 

So how can stress delay weight lose?

Stress and Food Cravings

Many people find that they eat when they are under stress. This is when you eat not because you’re hungry but because some emotion such as anger, sadness or frustration is pushing you to reach for food. Usually, you eat when you are stressed because food brings you a sense of comfort and at a very young age we are taught to use food for comfort. Everyone has their own comfort foods. Commonly eaten foods to relieve stress are sweets such as chocolate, ice cream, cookies or candy. Salty and fatty foods such as potato chips and pizza are also common foods. These foods contain higher fat and salt content and are generally lacking in nutrition. For me personally it’s ice cream and for the first 6 month of eating clean it’s an item I could not have in the house or when stress, happiness, boarded, well let’s face it any emotion would kick in I would reach for a little ice cream.  Growing up ice cream was a treat (something we had often) it was found at every celebration so it’s no wonder that’s my go to food.  Do you know what food is not safe in your house?  Take time to think about this one

 

Stress Hormones and Weight Gain

When you are under a great deal of stress, your body releases cortisol, which is a stress hormone. The release of cortisol has been linked with the buildup of abdominal fat. In one study, slim women gained weight due to their inability to deal with stressful life conditions. Being under a great deal of stress causes physiological changes that can lead to cravings and a change in eating patterns.

When your body releases an excess of cortisol, this interferes with your metabolic processes. The release of stress hormones has been linked with a slowing down of the metabolism. So when you are dealing with a lot of stress, you may be eating the same amount of food as before but not burning off as many calories as you used to.

Ways to relieve stress that work well, taking a bath, going grocery shopping alone, surfing Pinterest, taking a long drive with nothing but the radio, reading a new book, asking a friend to join you for coffee, a great sweat session, take part in your favorite hobby, keep a journey and write down your feelings, surround yourself with those that support and understand what you’re going through in life, drink a warm cup of green tea, breathing exercises, clean up the clutter in your house, get a message, do charity work, go for a walk,  and a cat nap just to walk away from the situation and regroup.

I hope this helps with the next time life hands you that unexpected phone call, turn of events, or a twist in everyday life.  Smile!!  Whether you're riding life and coasting along or feel that today could not get any worse remember this too will pass and thank goodness for seasons in life.